Red Letter Day
by osaka-jazzed
Summary: At Kirihara Academy, Money is everthing. That is, until a new student arrives and turns everthing upside-down. But this new student has a few secrets of their own. shonen ai, shige/mizu. More chapters are underway so please review!
1. The new kid

It was sweltering hot inside the classroom that day, and Tatsuya Mizuno was trying desperately to not fall asleep in class. Eyelids drooping, he lazily stared out the window, daydreaming of cool breezes and tall glasses of lemonade until his eyes locked on a new figure.

Tatsuya sat up a little straighter in his chair as he watched the new person enter through the large front doors of the school, and disappear inside.

Later in the day, Tatsuya was rudely woken from his daydreams as the door was flung open violently, and the mysterious person strode in with an imperious swagger, his nose thrust in the air and his hips comically thrust into an unbelievable strut. He was wearing an odd assortment of necklaces and charms, over a baggy, loose-fitting orange shirt, and had long blonde hair held back with a black bandana. He whirled around to give a salute, his eyes flashing mischievously. The class snickered, and Tatsuya's jaw dropped.

"Class," said the teacher a bit warily, " this is Shigeki Sato. He just transferred to Tokyo a week ago, so please make him feel..." she paused for a second before saying "err.. Welcome."

"Yo!" said Shigeki loudly, waving his arms. He took the piece of chalk the teacher was holding and proceeded to write his name in giant letters across the chalk board. He tossed the chalk back to the stunned teacher, who got hit on the head with the flying chalk.

"I'll find my own seat!" he called back over his shoulder as he jostled his way through the desks to the back of the room. All the teacher could do was stand there, her mouth opening and closing like a goldfish.

As Tatsuya made his was downstairs to lunch, he was hit waist level with an object moving at incredible speed. When he regained his balance he was face-to-face with a tall, black -haired boy wearing an earsplitting grin. Behind him at a length trailed a bemused boy of the same height and auburn hair.

"Seiji, what on earth-"

"Not now Tatsuya!" said Seiji, cutting him off. "Did you hear we got a new student today!"

"So..."

"So what?! To get accepted to Kirihara Academy, and in the middle of a semester too, you'd have to be incredibly talented and smart!" Finished Seiji with a grand gesture at the hall around them.

Tatsuya had to agree, Kirihara Academy was indeed a posh school, from the long scarlet curtains that framed the huge windows along the hall, to the deep velvet carpeting on the staircase where he now stood, being pushed and shoved by student anxious to get to lunch.

There were the students themselves. Some, like Seiji, were admitted by entrance exams, while others, like Katsuro ( The guy standing behind Seiji while he tackled Tatsuya) were admitted because they were wealthy. (Not to say he wasn't smart)

As They reached the bottom of the staircase, an aide ran up to Tatsuya, gasping for breath.

"Young master! The Headmaster wishes to see you in his office right away!" he said, panting. He'd probably run all the way there. Katsuro shrugged and said "Go see him. We'll save you a spot."He waved as Tatsuya was dragged back upstairs by the enthusiastic aide.

Tatsuya hated the Headmaster with a passion. He ruled Kirihara Academy with an iron fist, and un-conformity was always quickly stamped out. However the thing that Tatsuya hated the most was that although money couldn't buy you everything, here it really helped. The richer you were, the better life was for you at the academy. And if you dared to be less than middle class... well you probably wouldn't ever see the inside of the school.

As they reached the lavishly decorated room of the Headmaster, Tatsuya stopped and took a deep breath. "Thank you Teppei, you may go now. " The aide gave a salute, and dashed off madly in another direction.

Tatsuya pushed open the large oak doors and stopped short upon seeing two people in the room.

One was a middle aged man with thinning, light-brown hair and cold grey eyes. The other was a boy with long blonde hair held back in a black bandana.

The older man turned around and said grimly, "Sit, Tatsuya." motioning to a small wooden chair.

Tatsuya entered warily.

"Hello, father."


	2. Secrets

Thank you to all who review and continue to read!

My first chapter fic, so please bear with me!

Chapter 2

"Hello, father." Said Tatsuya icily, taking a seat in the small wooden chair. He hesitated a moment before sitting down; his father was emitting a cold, harsh energy that made Tatsuya feel like he couldn't breathe.

The blonde student still hadn't turned around, and all Tatsuya could see of him was the back of his head. But just his presence in the room felt like a small candle in an ice storm; a comforting presence.

His father began to pace back and forth, like an interrogation officer. Which is how Tatsuya always felt when he was in this room. Like he was being interrogated.

"Tatsuya!" barked his father. "As my son, I expect you to keep certain standards at this school!

I expect you to be at the top, because you are better than the others. It's that simple. You have been taught excellence and perfection in every aspect of life, you are heir to the Kirihara estate, and you come from a prestigious lineage!" At this, his chest seemed to swell before he began shouting in ernst, spit flying from his mouth.

"And so can you tell me how it is possible, how it is even imaginable! That this boy-"

he pointed an accusing finger at the blonde, " could ever happen to beat your entrance score!!"

"_I got beat? How is that even possible? I got a 149 out of 150, then he would've had to _..."

"No way! A perfect score?!" shouted Tatsuya without thinking. The next moment, a fist collided with his head and everything went fuzzy for a moment. He swayed on the spot, little stars dancing in front of his eyes, before another fist went into his stomach.

"You've made a fool of me and the entire company!!" bellowed the Headmaster, veins throbbing repulsively. "Even now, the company is investigating wether to allow you to continue with the inheritance!!"

Tatsuya doubled over, gasping for breath. He wasn't quite sure what he was waiting for now, he willed the blonde to turn around, to scream, to make the pain stop. But it didn't.

As the bell rang, signaling the end of lunch, he picked himself up off the floor and headed towards the bathroom, hoping the blood would come out of his uniform. He thought he was imagining things as a voice from behind him said, "Need a hand?'

In the mirror, Tatsuya could see him, lounging against the stall, he seemed to glow in the dim atmosphere around him. The blonde haired boy stepped forward, all joking aside now.

"I don't think we were ever properly introduced. My name is Shigeki; Shige for short. As for last names," he traced a thin finger over the bruise that was starting to form over Tatsuya's cheek, "they don't mean much to me."

Tatsuya could feel his skin turning hot underneath the boy's finger. Brushing the hand aside he turned away. "...Look, Shigeki, I'd really appreciate it if you would keep this incident between us. You know..." He continued to scrub his face, while keeping an eye on the boy in the mirror. He gave Tatsuya an appraising look before giving a sarcastic reply.

"You mean I know juicy secrets about Tatsu-bon no one else knows on my first day!"

"Wha...What?!" yelled Tatsuya, who could feel himself turning red, he didn't even need to see it in the mirror. Shigeki just gave him a lopsided grin and turned to head out as the class bell rang, echoing loudly off the dingy tiles.

"_Whoa..." _Tatsuya 's heart sped up, along with the blush._ "Damn... That smile..."_He was glad Shige couldn't see his face right now. Wiping it clean, he followed him out of the room.

In the next few days, Shigeki quickly became the star of the school. He was always surrounded by tons of friends and admirers, his easy-going attitude made him instantly friends with almost anyone,(although the teachers only put up with it because he was incredibly smart) and he seemed unpredictable - the kind of quality one always wished for when stuck in a school with such a stale atmosphere, and thrived on control and stability.

But when it came time to leave, Tatsuya couldn't help but notice he would always ease himself away from the crowds of people, and slide away by himself to go home. Shige was always secretive like that. Never telling much about himself or his background. He was a master of evasion and subtle subject changes while hiding behind a beautiful crooked smile.

Katsuro would catch him staring a few times, before turning away with a small smirk. Not that Tatsuya could help it, Shige was a mystery he just wanted to solve. (An amazingly beautiful mystery)

There were strange rumors connected to him too.

Rumors like he didn't live on campus because he was actually dirt poor, or that he was even richer than the Headmaster, so he went off to his own private mansion every night.

No one dared ask him directly though, and if the rumors bothered Shige at all it didn't show; he'd just give a broad grin and walk right through it. But those smiles... they were so obviously fake. They never seemed to meet his eyes, despite giving the appearance of such.

"Shige-san! We're having a party in the East dorm, would you come?" asked a short redheaded boy named Tsubasa with a commanding air. Even being so short he had a controlling effect on the boys around him. He was also the captain of the school soccer team.

"Sorry! Sorry! Love to go, but not today !" called Shige to everyone's astonishment, waving a dismissive hand as he walked through the towering double doors and into the sunshine. Tsubasa's parties were legendary, and Tatsuya didn't really get why Shige wouldn't want to come. Shige and parties just seemed to go together.

Did he forget to mention that Shige was evasive? Never letting anyone in, or being too personal, he didn't seem to want anyone close to him.

Tatsuya was up and roaming the halls the next morning, in dire search of something to do before school started. Living inside the school, he was rarely allowed outside and had very little time alone. So, he'd made it a habit to wake up early and explore the school on his own. His most interesting finds included a gargoyle, a skateboard, and a pair of ladies panties. ( he was a bit puzzled as to how those got there)

Today however , he made a find much more interesting than panties. A soft sound was coming from the Home Economics room, along with the faint smell of instant ramen.

Inching the door open a crack, he saw Shige singing softly as he heated water for the cup of cheap instant ramen sitting on the counter. The song was in English however, and Tatsuya couuld only translate a little bit of it, which Shige sang as he stirred the foul-smelling mix together.

"_I've lived 17 years  
I'm a kid on the run  
I got a pistol for action!  
Don't tell me you love me-  
Don't tell me you love me.  
Don't tell me  
I don't want to know!  
Don't tell me you love me-  
Don't tell me you love me  
Don't tell me  
I don't want to know!"_

Tatsuya was a bit surprised at the lyrics. How much of that really fit Shige? He wondered If he really had a pistol. It actually wouldn't surprise him_. _What did surprise him was anyone rich enough to go to school here would be up two hours before school starts, secretly eating cup noodles in a classroom.

At that moment, Tatsuya lost his balance and fell inside the door, already feeling his cheeks heat up as his face met the cold tile floor.

"Taken to spying on me Tatsu-bon?' asked Shige from somewhere above him. Pulling himself up, he saw Shige leaning against the counter smiling. But the tension was still there, in his eyes.

Tatsuya idly picked up the noodles before asking, "What are you doing here? School doesn't open until seven. You're two hours early." He raised his eyebrows in a 'what are you up to?' manner as Shige busied himself gathering up several items hastily from the counter.

"Oh, just about 157 cm."

"Shige!"

"You don't believe me?"

"Is that yours?" said Tatsuya pointing to the hastily crumpled bag Shige had stuck in his back pocket.

"Acutally I took it out of your wallet. No duh it's mine!"

"Hey!"

"What?"

"Would you just answer me! I'm just..."

"Concerned. Anxious. Worried about the new kid, and the rumors that surround him. Well you know what Tatsu-bon? I can take care of myself." spat Shige, eyes narrowed in spite.

"Yeah, sneaking into school, sneaking out, stealing breakfast in the Home EC room, and pushing everyone away is definitly taking care of yourself!" said Tatsuya sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

The air crackled as electricity seemed to spark all around them.

Finally, Shige looked away with a sigh. "If you keep this between us, I'll tell you a story about a boy named Shige..."

Staring directly at Shige, Tatsuya pulled over a chair and sat down with his arms folded defiantly.

Shige looked out the window over the vast grounds before taking a deep breath and starting.

"_Once upon a time there was a little boy in Kansai..._"

I'm leaving on a trip today!! so please expect updates to be a bit slow! Tanks!


	3. Temptation

Chapter 3 Red letter day

Sorry for the delay in updates!! I was in and out of town a lot this week, and everything was quite crazy. Any way... third chapter. WOOT!

* * *

"_Once upon a time there was a little boy in Kansai..._"

Shige leaned back in the chair, watching as the sun rose slowly over the horizon.

--Go into flashback mode!!--

A smaller, slighter Shige stood by the riverbank, surrounded by schoolchildren. He was used to the crowds and the staring, since this happened nearly every. Single. Day.

"Next time!" shouted the black-haired boy on the ground. "I won't lose next time! I...just happened to be a little tired today, that's all."

Shige rolled hist eyes skyward. For the love of ! Well, something. Shige wasn't really sure who he prayed to...

"Just give it up Saru-chan," he said staring straight at the boy, who indeed, looked for all the world like a monkey. "You know I could beat you at just about anything."

"Tomorrow then!" he yelled out, standing up and brushing clumps of dirt out of his hair.

Shigeki hesitated for a moment, and in a moment, the boy could see that something was amiss.

Because Shige didn't hesitate: simple as that.

"What? Tomorrow doesn't work for you?"

"No...Tomorrow then." He flashed the boy a cheap grin, not really knowing that it would soon become his trademark.

He arrived at the slanted wooden shop just as some nasty looking clouds began to stir up the many sets of chimes and bells that hung from the rafters. He slid the back door open and came inside, not knowing exactly what to expect.

The instant the door was opened, everything seemed to freeze. He looked up in surprise at the one person he had been sure _wouldn't_ be here.

"Dad?..."

The man's look of anger, directed across the table at a beautiful black-haired woman with a similar furious look, was hastily dropped to a face of concern, or fear.

"Mom...what's going on?" Shigeki asked softly, feeling that tension rise in the room until it felt like something would break or explode.

" ...Shige-chan... please go and wait upstairs with your sisters..."

"MOM! Please! What's going on ? Why is he back!"

Shige was desperately trying to struggle against his oldest sister who was leading him up a small flight of stairs In the back of the shop.

"MOM! MOM!"

He was whisked out of the room and a curtain of vanilla smelling black hair obstructed his view.

"Nee-chan, please! It's about me again isn't it?! I have to go down there!"

His oldest sister, who worked with their mother in the shop, guided him gently to the landing where his two other sisters waited. They sat cross-legged around a small copper pipe that jutted out of the wall. When they saw Shige being led up the stairs, they both rushed over to hug him.

He could feel them shaking, and knew the fight must be a serious one.

"It's just like when Dad left..." the first one whispered as they took their positions by the pipe.

Voices could be heard once more, echoing sinisterly through the pipe as the couple downstairs continued with their previous argument.

Shige sat in his older sister's arms, watching her wince at the harsh words being exchanged in furious tones. He looked over at his others two sisters, huddling together, and scared that this could be a repeat of the day that their father had left.

He closed his eyes and wished as hard as he could that it would go away. That those voices would just leave and everything could go back to the way it had been before.

He thought about his older sister who was trying so hard not to cry; and his two sisters on the rug who were only fourteen. They shouldn't have to go through this...this wasn't right...

"_Shi... geki...Shige_..."

The words fell over him like ice water; his eyes flying open. His name brushed by with several unintelligible words. Crawling over to the pipe, he lay right up against it, feeling it tingle and shake.

"_I need custody! It's very .important. Did you think I would've come otherwise?! I know you don't even have the money for a custody battle, do you really need to complicate things so unnecessarily_?"

Shige winced at the poison dripping from the words as they crawled up the pipe.

"_I'm giving him a chance to be something other than a burden. And I can keep coming back until you change your mind...Look. If you still were going to throw him out, and I'd have the greatest sympathy for you if you did, why not just place him in my custody?_

_I get what I want, you get what you want, and the boy gets a chance to stay with each of us."_

That was the final blow.

He broke down and cried right in front of everyone.

Shige'd never cried during the three years of messy divorce. And seeing him break down, his sisters were really at a loss for what to do.

* * *

It wasn't the first time he cried, but it would be the last. Because he could take the pain of these visits out of his sisters lives. If it weren't for Shige, his dad wouldn't have come. And if it weren't for Shige, his sisters wouldn't have to bear listening to screaming matches while huddled on the stairs.

He was a burden.

His mother would have thrown him out anyway.

Lying on his bed in the darkness, voices in his head, (which he was sure was decidedly unhealthy) kept him from sleeping.

"_I can keep coming back until you change your mind_"

He couldn't just sit and do nothing. It, wasn't going to go away...unless...

Shige sat bolt upright on his bed, throwing off the sheet in a single movement. Stepping silently out of his room, he ran to the window at the end of the hall. Out across the other side of town, the bright lights of Kyoto Station twinkled back at him. A small idea was forming in his head.

"_I can keep coming back until you change your mind_"... _" Did you think I would've come otherwise?! "_

But what if there was no one to come back for?

As he passed by the forms of his sleeping sisters he blew them a kiss. He hoped they knew that he'd done it for them.

So he swung the beat up duffle over his shoulder, boarded the train, and never looked back.

Starting today he was free.

* * *

Tatsuya was unable to concentrate in class once more. The story he'd heard from Shige was like an echo in his brain.

To have heard your ow parents say all those horrible things, and then have the courage to leave it all behind, was a thing Tatsuya sometimes wished he possessed.

As his unfocused eyes bored through the chalkboard, he couldn't shake the nagging feeling in the back of his brain. 'That was too easy,'it said, 'there's more. Just you wait! There's more..'

He was rudely awakened by an origami crane that collided with the back of his head when the teacher wasn't looking. Blindly moving his arm below his desk, he found the crane had writing all over it. It read:

"_Meet me on the school roof, 7a.m tomorrow. And bring a couple of buckets._"

He blinked several times before turning in his seat to look at the sender. Shigeki just laughed softly. Tomorrow would be interesting, Tatsuya was sure of it.

Sorry of the incredible time delay between chapters! (That was a really long wait!) But thank you to all who are still reading. There is still more to come! And future chapters have been planned out, so hopefully the time between chapters won't be as long ne?


End file.
